A Study of the Causes of Physical and Emotional Problems Encountered by Older Women Returning to Secretarial Employment After A Prolonged Absence. Final Report.

Lloyd, Glenna G.

The problem of this study was to identify the cause of the physical and emotional problems encountered by older women who have returned to work after a prolonged absence. Such information, it was believed, would be valuable to business and educational institutions in retraining or updating prospective secretarial employees. Data for the study were gathered by a mail questionnaire sent to older women currently working for 17 business firms in the Salt Lake-Ogden-Provo market area. Several conclusions were formulated as a result of the findings. Among these conclusions were that (1) Family obligations and age are the causes of most emotional anxiety for older women returning to secretarial employment, (2) Lack of proficiency in the technical skills is an area of major concern to older women, and (3) A workshop or similar review course in the secretarial skills is desirable to enable older women to return to work in secretarial positions. One recommendation is that schools on the postsecondary level develop and initiate programs for the retraining of older women in the secretarial skills. (Author)